“Knowing someone is advocating for you during your job search can make a world of difference. I was lucky to have two advocates: Duncan and Kelly at SkillsRI.

Over the past 25 years, my pattern of employment hasn’t been easy, and I had a lot of factors going against me. My father passed away, my mother has been ill, and I’ve been caring for a disabled family member. In addition, I was in recovery for drug addiction, and I had a variety of dead-end jobs with no hope for a future. I wanted to go back to school to pave a better path for my career, but it wasn’t easy. I was put in touch with Duncan at SkillRI, and he was instrumental in getting me into the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association Program, where I earned my composite technician pre-apprentice certificate from CCRI. It is an achievement that makes me incredibly proud.

After receiving my certification, Kelly, a recruiter at SkillsRI, kept in touch with me, checking in to see if I had found a job and presenting new opportunities that were a good fit based on my credentials. With her continued support and encouragement, I was able to find a job as a Composite Technician at Goetz Composites, where I can carve out a future for myself. I know people who been placed at Goetz through SkillsRI and are now VPs and supervisors at the company. I’ve been working here for a month, and I love what I do. I wake up every morning with a positive outlook and with hope for a brighter future. SkillsRI gave me that hope, and I’m thankful to be able to do something that I know will make my son proud.”